Jump on the bandwagon! Elrosa Saints win 3rd straight playoff title and regain possession of the Keg

Ethan Vogt carries the Keg back to the Elrosa dugout following the win today...the Saints were trying to regain possession of the Keg in their fourth meeting of the year with the Chargers. Spring Hill had regained the Keg after the teams' first meeting, a 7-1 Chargers win on June 18 under the lights in Elrosa. The Saints held the Keg all winter long, having beaten Spring Hill in the 2010 division playoff championship game.

The Elrosa Saints open up the Region 15C amateur baseball tournament next Saturday, August 6 at 3:30 against Farming. Today in Spring Hill, the Saints defeated the Chargers 3-2 to repeat as Stearns County League North playoff champions. It's actually a three-peat, as the Saints have won the SCL-North playoff title in 2009, 2010 and this season.

Elrosa, now 9-8 this season in Stearns County League games and 3-1 in the playoffs, took a 1-0 lead in the fourth inning, then Spring Hill scored twice in the bottom of the 8th inning. In the top of the 9th inning, Elrosa scored twice to go up 3-2 and held on for the win. Brady Weller pitched the first six innings in his first career playoff start, with Dustin Breitbach coming in for the seventh inning and picking up the win. Brent Terres started for Spring Hill, with Chris Spanier closing.

The Farming Flames are the Stearns County League South playoff runners-up, after they lost in 12 innings at Lake Henry today. Brad Mergen pitched the final 5 1/3 frames for Farming and gave up a solo home run to Cory Nietfeld in the bottom of the 12th. Farming led 4-1 with three innings in the book.

Farming advances to the Region 15C tournament for the first time since 2002, when they also advanced to the state tournament.

Visit the St. Cloud Times story at the following link to see a great story written by Tom Elliot, who was in Lake Henry today... http://www.sctimes.com/article/20110801/SPORTS/108010015/Amateur-baseball-Lakers-win-blast?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|Umbrella

Saturday, August 6 Region 15C schedule: (*Updated Sunday night)
10:30 am - Lake Henry vs. Atwater
1 pm - Norway Lake-Sunburg vs. Spring Hill
3:30 pm - Elrosa vs. Farming

Sunday, August 7 Region 15C schedule:
Game four at 10:30am - Game 1 winner vs. Loser of Game 2
Game five at 1pm - Game 2 winner vs. Game 3 winner
Game six at 3:30pm - Game 1 loser vs. Game 2 loser

**Update from the County Line League...Norway Lake-Sunburg emerged as the CLL champion, and they join Atwater as the representatives from that league in the Region 15C tournament. Atwater is the runner-up from the County Line League. Norway Lake-Sunburg edged Atwater 6-5 today in the championship game, coming from behind after trailing 5-3 with seven innings complete. With two outs in the ninth, the Lakers’ Chris Braaten scored the game-ending run blasting in from third base while Jonah Johnson beat out an infield grounder in a bang-bang play at first.

In the playback final game, Atwater clobbered Starbuck 13-2 in seven innings to advance to the championship game.

Norway Lake-Sunburg drafted Starbuck's Jon Hoffman, while Atwater drafted Austen Hadley from the Regal Eagles.

Lake Henry drafted Scott Schroeder of Richmond. Farming drafted Josh Engquist, also of Richmond.

Action from the eighth inning tonight, with Spring Hill scoring the run that tied the game 1-1...


More will follow on Monday.

This Elrosa Saints and Stearns County League playoff update is brought to you by: